Garment



June 18, 1946.

J. X. GAGNON GARMENT Filed Nov. 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H OF VE) June 18, 1946. J. x. GAGNON GARMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Filed Nov. l6, 1944 INVENTOR. Jase f1 11. ({qgf/mit BY Patented June 18, 1946 GARMENT Joseph X. Gagnon, Chicopee Falls, Mass., assignor to The Standard Corset Company, Holyoke, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 16, 1944, Serial No. 563,677

3 Claims.

This invention relates to garments, such as corsets or the like, that consist of or include abdominal-supporting means.

The main object and feature of the invention is to prolong the life of the elastic upliftingmeans, that form part of the abdominal-supporting means, and to allow the wearer of the corset increased freedom of movement without placing an excessive strain onthe abdominal-supporting means, and without spoiling the smooth fit of the garment over the hips of the wearer.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention is disclosed in a concrete and preferred form, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the garment in position on the wearer, the front body-section being open to show the construction of the abdominal-supporting means;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view of part of the abdominalsupporting means.

I is a rear body-portion and 2 is a front bodyportion, each of which is composed, wholly or in the main, of circumferentially non-elastic material, and each of which consists of a number of panels or sections. Interposed between said body-portions are vertically extending and circumferentially elastic gore-sections 3 and 4. At one side, body-portions l and 2 are connected by means of a vertical line of stitching 5 and, at the other side, suitable fastening means, such as complementary lines of hooks and eyes 5 and 'l, are provided.

8 indicates a belt-portion constituting abdominal-supporting means and composed in part of elastic and in part of non-elastic material, as will presently appear. The ends of said belt-portion are connected, as by stitching 9 and III, to opposite sides of rear body-portion I adjacent elastic gore-sections 3 and 4. Centrally disposed of said belt-portion are suitable uplifting-means consisting here of inclined elastic members ll connected to a slightly inwardly and downwardly curved central reinforcing member or boning l2 and connected at their sides to vertically extending elastic sections [3. Members II and sections l3 are elastic in an inclined direction, as shown. l4 indicates flattening members, of circumferentially elastic material, above members I, and also connected to central member l2 and sections [3. are central panels, here of non-elastic material, between central member l2 and vertical sections l3, At each side of the uplifting-means is provided a set of panels of circumferentially elastic 7 material but less readily yielding than the uplift- ,ing-means.

Each set consists of two vertically extending panels It and l l, spaced apart by a circumferentially non-elastic section l8, and each set is spaced from the uplifting-means by a cir-. cumferentially non-elastic section l9, and from rear body-portion I by a circumferentially nonelastic section 20. One panel, here [6, of each set is more elastic than the other panel, ll, of the same set, complementary panels such as l6 and H5 or ll and I! of the two sets being equally elastic. The belt-portion is made in two parts, so that it can be opened, as will be understood, and the parts are united by suitable fastening means such as complementary hooks and eyes 2| and 22 along line 23. If a binding such as 24 is used at the top and bottom of the panels and sections between the uplifting-means and rear body-portion I, such binding should be of lengthwise elastic material.

It will now be understood that, when the wearer of the garment bends over or sits down, the uplifting-means will yield to a certain extent, and that, before such means reach the limit of their elasticity, panels I 6 of the two sets will yield and that, if further expansion is required, panels I! will also yield before the limit of elasticity of I6 is reached, whereby the strain is so distributed as not to be excessive on any one element. It will further be observed that the beltportion can yield to an extent varying from that of the front body-portion, or vice versa, while the rear body-portion retains its snug fit.

I claim:

1. In a garment, a belt-portion, constituting abdominal-supporting means, composed in part of elastic and in part of non-elastic material, including: centrally disposed elastic upliftingmeans, two sets of panels of circumferentially elastic material, one set on one and the other set on the other side of said uplifting-means and spaced therefrom by circumferentially nonelastic sections, each set comprising two vertically extending panels spaced apart by a circumferentially non-elastic section, one panel of each set being more elastic than the other panel of the same set, and complementary panels of the two sets being equally elastic.

2. In a garment, a rear body-portion and a front body-portion each of which is composed in the main of circumferentially non-elastic material; vertically extending and circumferentially elastic gore-sections interposed between the two body-portions; a belt-portion, constituting abdominal-supporting means, composed in part of elastic and in part of non-elastic material and having its ends connected to Opposite sides of said rear body-portion adjacent said elastic goresections, said belt-portion having centrally disposed elastic uplifting-means, and having two sets of panels of circumferentially elastic material, one set on one and the other set on the other side of said uplifting-means and spaced therefrom and from said rear body-portion by circumferentially non-elastic sections, each of said sets comprising two vertically extending panels spaced apart by a circumferentially nonelastic section, one panel of each set being more elastic than the other panel of the same set, and complementary panels of the two sets being equally elastic.

3. In a garment having a belt-portion that constitutes an abdominal-supporting means which is composed in part of elements of elastic and in a part of elements of non-elastic material, one of said elements of elastic material being a centrally disposed elastic uplifting-means, means to prevent excessive strain on any one of said elements of elastic material including: two sets of panels of circumferentially elastic material, the material of said panels being less readily yielding than that of said uplifting-means but sufficiently elastic to yield before the limit of elasticity of said uplifting-means is reached, one-set of panels located on oneand the other set "of panels located on the other side of said uplifting-means and spaced therefrom by circumferentially nonelastic sections, each set of panels comprising two vertically extending panels spaced apart by a circumferentially non-elastic section, one panel of each set being more elastic than the other panel of the same set but said other panel being nevertheless sufiiciently elastic to yield before the limit of elasticity of said one panel is reached, and complementary panels of said two sets being equally elastic.

JOSEPH X. GAGNON. 

